Las Vegas Wedding on a Budget

Decide how much you are going to spend on the wedding. Take into account the cost of your transportation to Las Vegas (by plane, bus or car) and the cost of accommodations while you're there.

Figure out your wedding needs and wants. Talk to your partner and decide what are "must-haves" at the wedding (guests, dress/tux, flowers, photos, etc.), and what you can skimp on or skip completely. This will help you rule out certain aspects of the wedding that can add up very quickly and cost you a lot of money. For example, having a large reception and a big wedding will cost you a lot more than inviting a few family members and close friends for the big day.

Set a time line. Decide what day you want to get to Las Vegas and what day you want to get married. Also figure out whether you want to stay in the Las Vegas area for a honeymoon after the wedding, or if you want to get back home or travel elsewhere. Figure out what else you need to do from the day you get to Vegas until the day you get married. This may include finding a chapel, setting the appointment, getting a dress and tux, getting flowers, etc. Keep in mind that the shorter amount of time you are in Las Vegas, the less likely you are to spend a large amount of money on the wedding.

Choose a chapel. There are many chapels in Las Vegas and several websites that offer comparisons of wedding packages and chapels. Save time by looking at the chapel packages online before heading to Vegas. Narrow down your choices and visit your top three when you get to town. From there, you should be able to make your decision fairly quickly.

Opt for a live web-streamed video wedding. This will allow your friends and family to watch the wedding from wherever they are, and it will save you the expense of flying friends and family to Las Vegas to see the wedding in person.